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50 Hilariously Relatable Jokes In This Online Group Of Socially Anxious People Who Are Laughing Through The Tears
Social anxiety is one of the most widespread fears that usually starts during teenage years. And while many occasionally worry about social situations, someone with social anxiety feels overly worried before, during and after them. It affects their everyday activities, self-confidence, relationships and work or school life, so you can imagine what a heavy burden it may be.
But whoever is looking for a support group online, the ‘Social Anxiety’ corner of Reddit is a safe space to talk about hard things. With 309k members and counting, the subreddit has people sharing painfully funny memes on how it feels to live with this anxiety.
“Whether it's approaching someone you're attracted to or if it's giving a presentation in class, everyone gets a little nervous at times. You may have social anxiety, however, if you feel like throughout your day you're bombarded by anxious thoughts/feelings during social situations that otherwise seem so effortless for most people,” states the subreddit’s description.
“Welcome to the club,” it adds, showing that you won’t feel left out and a bunch of people here do know how you feel. So why don't you all just laugh at it?
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I Genuinely Love This Subreddit
Unless you are tormented by anxiety you don't know what a gift was given. God bless whoever did this!
I Hate When This Happens
Thank You!!!
It’s important to understand that social anxiety is more than being shy. Although many people occasionally feel anxious in social situations, those with social anxiety have the fear interfering in their daily lives.
NHS.uk states that you may have social anxiety if you have any of these symptoms: worry about everyday activities, such as meeting strangers, starting conversations, speaking on the phone, working or shopping; avoid or worry a lot about social activities, such as group conversations, eating with company and parties; always worry about doing something you think is embarrassing, such as blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent; find it difficult to do things when others are watching—you may feel like you're being watched and judged all the time; fear being criticized, avoid eye contact or have low self-esteem; often have symptoms like feeling sick, sweating, trembling or a pounding heartbeat (palpitations); have panic attacks, where you have an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety, usually only for a few minutes.
"Social Anxiety"
Too Sensitive?
Social anxiety may be especially daunting when things go against the plan and this, as we all know, happens much more often than we’d like. It’s really hard to keep yourself in control for those who don’t have it, but for people with social anxiety it may seem like mission impossible.
The good news is that there are some cognitive emotional skills that anyone can learn to get through those stressful situations better. Improving such skills has to be made a priority by those with social anxiety, and many other mental health issues like depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, etc.
It's Like I Forget I Have Sa For A Second
"Don't Dwell On Things" They Tell Me... Meanwhile
Here’s Some Abuse
Bored Panda reached out to Alice Boyes, a former clinical psychologist turned writer and the author of “The Healthy Mind Toolkit” and “The Anxiety Toolkit” to find out more about controlling our frustration when things go against the plan. Alice said that in practical terms, “the more buffer you have in your life, the easier it is to handle stress. Therefore practical solutions like creating an emergency fund can help.”
*Checks Excuse Book*
I Know This Feeling Too Well
Having said that, she suggests that if your life isn’t overscheduled and you have more flexibility, then it’s best “to give yourself time and nurturing to recover from knocks. ”Psychologically, it’s always best to remind yourself to take stressful situations one step at a time. “Like, if your car breaks down on the highway, all you need to do first is get out of traffic. Don't get ahead of yourself mentally,” Alice explained.
Never Were Truer Words Spoken.
Always
Another way to handle stress is giving yourself some sources of pleasure, like exercise, or podcasts you like. “Things you look forward to, that you can still do even when you're experiencing stress,” the former psychologist explained. In the end, it’s always helpful to remind yourself that stressful events happen to everyone. “They're part of life, but we don't necessarily know what's going on behind the scenes for other people,” Alice concluded.
I’ve Never Related To Anything More
Always The Outcast Of Every Group
yep. Just described what happens any time a word comes out of my mouth
Aye, Contact Sucks
Getting A Call From A Unknown Caller
Teachers : *surprised Pikachu*
What ? Being an insensitive bully who uses their tyranical power to publicly humiliate a child does not help them ? How surprising ! /s
I Feel Attacked
I Have Stitched No Truer Words
My Life
Thanks Brain, Very Cool
I'm still thinking about that time I was 8 (almost 40 years ago) and it was my birthday. I got a toy from my parents and was so happy with it, I ran to my aunt when she came in to show it to her and she had bought the exact same present. I still feel bad about it and I know it's stupid, my brain says it's stupid, I have a million reasons of why it is stupid, but I still feel bad. I hate emotions.
Anyone Else?
Yup.right in the eye every time. And you just feel like yelling " I could do it until you got here, doggone it!" My especial special hate; when I'm painting. I paint for me. If you say it's pretty, usually, I love you so much I will give it to,which I'm told is a pretty cool thing. But, don't walk up and say,after watching and umming for a few seconds, " you need to do..." Whatever. I will smack you with a full pallette in my dreams.
Every Time
It’s Me Every Freakin Day Lmao
Anyone Else?
Now Time To Hibernate
Here We Go Again
Social Anxiety - The Beginning
Why I had such a hard time accepting a diagnosis of depression: I actually WAS happy in bed. Sorta.
It’s A Vicious Cycle
I’ve Been There
Am So Lonely!
Show Me A Better Duo, I’ll Wait!
A Little Hyperbole To Remind You You're Not Alone
Meanwhile, the people who you think laughed at you (they probably did not) have already forgotten.
Make That 6 Weeks
Yeah
Me Today
"Can't we, like, have them all killed ? -No, ma'am. -Why not ? -Magna Carta. -Oh... Right... F**k that thing."
College Parties
In fairness, I *am* on drugs because of social anxiety. Thanks, Pharmac!
Yes
My parents actively taught me how to speak up about stuff like this because they knew I was really shy (they don’t know it’s clinical social anxiety) and didn’t want me to be unable to advocate for myself. I’ve gotten money back from a hotel that tried to rip me off.
You Are Not Supposed To Call!
Never Related To Something More
Lies i have no personality i am a meat blob waiting to rid myself of this human form
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I have a personality...of that of a wise grandma,I was told this by my Mom at 15. ಥ‿ಥ
Today's schools NEED to teach social skills and home skills like they used to. Kids today know NOTHING about being a social + domestic person. Parents can't teach them because there's no time because they BOTH need TO WORK just TO KEEP some FOOD ON THE TABLE!
I was once told, when I was about 18, that I was well adjusted. They didn't realise it was because it was hammered into me since childhood never to speak my mind or have opinions for fear of being shouted down and told not to answer back.
yeah, OP, ya had me til you got to the very end there. it might have been better to say "your personality developed differently"...since it surely did...but it's still your own personality...
anyone who's like this....as you've gotten older, has it kind of turned around? when i was young, my friends were all older, some significantly older...but as i've gotten older, it seems most of the folks i fit with are now somewhat younger, or extremely younger. folks my age and i don't quite seem to line up as well as you'd think...but of course, we never did, and they're still them...and i'm still me. that personality thing...
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I was that kid. I have a personality, it's weird, but it's a personality
Me Attending Online Classes
I Feel That
Can Anyone Else Relate?
Either Too Shy Or Annoying
Annoying by whose metrics? Are you still overthinking the responses you are getting from the people you are newly interacting with and projecting annoyance that isn't there? Social skills are *skills*. You *learn* them, you *practice* them, and you get better at them. And, yes, you make mistakes along the way. Unless the people you are interacting with are obnoxious and rude bullies (stop interacting with them!) nearly everyone will help you get better because we all went through the learning process. No one was born with perfect social skills.
This
Everytime
Oh... I..
I Live In A Dorm There's Literally 20 Rooms In A Single Straight Hallway
I Saw This Earlier And It Couldn't Be More True
Anybody Else?
* Proceeds To Type Out A Post For 45 Minutes And Then Deletes It Right Before Posting *
I Don’t Know If This Has Been Posted Here Before But I Laughed
Tbh
I actually asked a prof for help once and he was totally useless and then said "Does that help?" and I said "Yes." because I just wanted to leave. Then I figured it out on my own.
That Be Me
I've actually gotten better about that. Now I say "Im sorry, but excuse me".🇨🇦
Hope It Works...
Haha Relatable, Now Cry
"It is a technically true answer, but it is not precisely the one I was looking for, so no."
This One Hit Me Hard
That Thing Hurted
For all of those people hating on Ryan, I must agree. At school, there is only lunchtime when the teachers allow you to talk, and then you’re trying to eat super quick because of the ridiculously short time they give you to eat. It’s like they don’t want you to have friends.
Always Embarrassing Myself
This Hits Real Close To Home
Like Pls Talk To Me, But Please Don’t Talk To Me
I had to walk into chapel late once because of a music lesson. By far the most awkward thing ever.
Heck
I was both. I went first so that I could turn my anxiety off as soon as possible.
Me Coming Home After Socializing, Thinking About How Awkward And Cringy I Was
I Wouldn’t Want To Bother Anyone
This one I'm mostly okay with. My meals are so often wrong or late I have learned to stand up on this.
So True
We Can’t Be Like This
I Should've Stayed Home
This just happened last thursday. I was tempted to go out for the first time since the pandemic started. I did go out, I met at the place with a few people I hadn't seen in a while. Then more and more people started showing up. Next thing I know I don´t know who to speak to, realized I had made a mistake in going out and simply told myself not to do an effort to mingle since we are still in the pandemic and just go home to be safe from the virus but mainly to be safe of awkwardly trying to mingle with people.
Accurate
What's It Gonna Be Today Folks
The panic attack looks bigger and had bigger fists. Choose the depression.
Me Too Man, Me Too
No, it is more like "Is this a mean-spirited humiliating set-up for an oncoming prank?"
Fair
Teladoc has been so great for this. Can get appointments the same week, often even the same day!
Can’t I Just Take A Magic Healing Pill
You can build up to it. Before Jacinda gave me a lockdown for my birthday (she also covid-blocked Valentines Day lol), I was volunteering to plant trees every couple of weeks. You’re mostly working on your own but you have a small amount of interaction with people, and the more times you go, the more familiar the others get. Same with a lot of types of volunteering, probably. Also, therapists and good online resources teach you how to address the underlying thought processes. New Zealand has been advertising a good free resource at the moment: https://www.justathought.co.nz/
Thats Me
Dammit, Scroll Of Truth
That doesn't mean leaping five kilometers out of your comfort zone on the first attempt. Five cm is a good start though. The mistake a lot of people make when they're told to leave their comfort zone is like thinking "Couch to 5k" is literal - you get off your couch and you run 5km. No. It's a gradual process, and yes, step one is getting off the couch, and that's often the hardest part, but you can always sit back down again and do it again tomorrow. And if it takes you a week to get to step two (walk for a minute) and another week to get to step three (walk for a minute, jog for a minute), so be it. The couch is still there, but at the risk of mangling the metaphor, eventually it's a 5km couch you can jog around.
Why Am I Like This
This Is Too Real
Yes
Me obsessing about something that happened fifty years ago. The fact that all the other people involved have been dead for quite some time makes absolutely no difference.
It's funny I keep seeing comments from extroverts who have literally no idea why were making such a big deal out of doing literally anything
The most anxiously provoking thing is where you’re walking outside and a stranger appears and walks at the exact some pace next to you. It should be a legal requirement for them to pass you or slow down!. I never seem to get it right. When I slow down they do and same with walking faster. I’ve been known to go completely the wrong way I should be going in, just to get away!.
What should someone do if they happen to have social anxiety? What would you recommend? Asking for a friend... ...who am I kidding? i have no friends 😄
You can always know you aren't alone. I wonder how many of us are hiding away round the place. I mean, I'd say we should start a club but the thought of it is too much, and honestly a club for introverts sounds like such an oxymoron! But we have places like here to put our feelings and hear the stories of others, it makes me feel more normal 😅 take it one day at a time, I don't want to push any toxic positivity at you just say that I think it's a great start to reach out like you did with your comment :) ❤
Load More Replies... I can relate to most of these, but at least some of them had me outright laughing. I'm so glad I can do that. I've come a long way baby!" I have Biploar 2 disorder and the social situation with covid have been hell on a lot of us. We're not to have much of any social interaction for months. Grocery store, pharmacy, pet supplies and the doctor. Great. And the one thing that is always impressed upon us is not to self-isolate. Terrific. Right now I am what they call "rapid cycling". Hypomanic to severely depressed to feeling good. I never know who I'm going to be on any given day or days. im just thankful for the good days. Today is a good day.😊
Hi Miss Frankfurter. Did you copy and paste a comment that I haven't made yet?! You've summed up what a lot of us are thinking. Well done and spot on.
Load More Replies... I get the 'other people are worse off than you!' and 'We're all in the same boat!' and 'cheer up, what's the worst that can happen!'. To everyone and anyone that's ever said these things to me, go f uck yourself.
I find 'what's the worst that could happen' to be a very valid question whenever I feel anxious about something. More often than not the answer is 'I could make an ass out of myself', and everyone's constantly making an ass out of themselves, so it turns out it's not that bad.
Load More Replies... 
*Waiting for my turn at the barbers*, screaming internally, "Please not the chatty barber!" Chatty barber: "Hey buddy, you up next?" FFS!
Grew my hair long, stopped dyeing my greys (because of the pandemic) and now do my own trims at home. I'm saving a bundle. But the biggest perk is not ever having to walk into a salon and make small talk with a hair stylist ever again in my entire life. I think about this almost every day. And think why the hell didn't I do this sooner? I'm a woman, but I have never ever felt comfortable or pampered going to the salon. It's a social anxiety nightmare.
Load More Replies...
I didn't know what my problem was until I read this post. I have social anxiety. I swear as I read each one, I was going, "Yep, that's me. I feel like that when the phone rings or someone talks to me or someone doesn't talk to me." I'm 68 years old & I finely have a name for how I feel every moment of every day. Thank you!
I have read here how many people are so anxious just to ask for help. God willing, soon we will be able to go to an office. They will understand your anxiety. There were times too many people in the waiting room. I decided to wait by myself in the hall. Understanding. They came to get me when it's time to go in. If you're so anxious all you can do is sit there & not talk, thats ok too. It tells them a lot with just that. If you keep coming back you'll eventually be comfortable. I ended up in the hospital when I finally "broke". I was terrified to go there. Nothing to be scared of. They were so kind & understanding, willing to listen & didnt tell me what to do to get better. They asked questions that helped me think & to some degree i played a part in healing myself. The patients, we give each other room to be. We also help each other. As G.K. Chesterton said, "We're all in the same boat in a stormy sea, & we owe each other a terrible loyalty". We're so loyal. Take comfort in that.
Every single fckin entry on this post was extremely relatable. Every. single. f*****g. one.
I felt every one of these a few years back. My panic attacks turned into a full-blown case of agoraphobia.
Went out to dinner last week with my boyfriend. Went great til I was home in bed thinking I could have choked to death at dinner.
You're unsympathetic. I'd rather be around people who care a lot, than someone like you who cares too little.
Load More Replies... 
Maybe not for you. As someone who suffers from extreme anxiety, I can relate to almost every one of these.
Load More Replies...
Me obsessing about something that happened fifty years ago. The fact that all the other people involved have been dead for quite some time makes absolutely no difference.
It's funny I keep seeing comments from extroverts who have literally no idea why were making such a big deal out of doing literally anything
The most anxiously provoking thing is where you’re walking outside and a stranger appears and walks at the exact some pace next to you. It should be a legal requirement for them to pass you or slow down!. I never seem to get it right. When I slow down they do and same with walking faster. I’ve been known to go completely the wrong way I should be going in, just to get away!.
What should someone do if they happen to have social anxiety? What would you recommend? Asking for a friend... ...who am I kidding? i have no friends 😄
You can always know you aren't alone. I wonder how many of us are hiding away round the place. I mean, I'd say we should start a club but the thought of it is too much, and honestly a club for introverts sounds like such an oxymoron! But we have places like here to put our feelings and hear the stories of others, it makes me feel more normal 😅 take it one day at a time, I don't want to push any toxic positivity at you just say that I think it's a great start to reach out like you did with your comment :) ❤
Load More Replies... I can relate to most of these, but at least some of them had me outright laughing. I'm so glad I can do that. I've come a long way baby!" I have Biploar 2 disorder and the social situation with covid have been hell on a lot of us. We're not to have much of any social interaction for months. Grocery store, pharmacy, pet supplies and the doctor. Great. And the one thing that is always impressed upon us is not to self-isolate. Terrific. Right now I am what they call "rapid cycling". Hypomanic to severely depressed to feeling good. I never know who I'm going to be on any given day or days. im just thankful for the good days. Today is a good day.😊
Hi Miss Frankfurter. Did you copy and paste a comment that I haven't made yet?! You've summed up what a lot of us are thinking. Well done and spot on.
Load More Replies... I get the 'other people are worse off than you!' and 'We're all in the same boat!' and 'cheer up, what's the worst that can happen!'. To everyone and anyone that's ever said these things to me, go f uck yourself.
I find 'what's the worst that could happen' to be a very valid question whenever I feel anxious about something. More often than not the answer is 'I could make an ass out of myself', and everyone's constantly making an ass out of themselves, so it turns out it's not that bad.
Load More Replies... *Waiting for my turn at the barbers*, screaming internally, "Please not the chatty barber!" Chatty barber: "Hey buddy, you up next?" FFS!
Grew my hair long, stopped dyeing my greys (because of the pandemic) and now do my own trims at home. I'm saving a bundle. But the biggest perk is not ever having to walk into a salon and make small talk with a hair stylist ever again in my entire life. I think about this almost every day. And think why the hell didn't I do this sooner? I'm a woman, but I have never ever felt comfortable or pampered going to the salon. It's a social anxiety nightmare.
Load More Replies... I didn't know what my problem was until I read this post. I have social anxiety. I swear as I read each one, I was going, "Yep, that's me. I feel like that when the phone rings or someone talks to me or someone doesn't talk to me." I'm 68 years old & I finely have a name for how I feel every moment of every day. Thank you!
I have read here how many people are so anxious just to ask for help. God willing, soon we will be able to go to an office. They will understand your anxiety. There were times too many people in the waiting room. I decided to wait by myself in the hall. Understanding. They came to get me when it's time to go in. If you're so anxious all you can do is sit there & not talk, thats ok too. It tells them a lot with just that. If you keep coming back you'll eventually be comfortable. I ended up in the hospital when I finally "broke". I was terrified to go there. Nothing to be scared of. They were so kind & understanding, willing to listen & didnt tell me what to do to get better. They asked questions that helped me think & to some degree i played a part in healing myself. The patients, we give each other room to be. We also help each other. As G.K. Chesterton said, "We're all in the same boat in a stormy sea, & we owe each other a terrible loyalty". We're so loyal. Take comfort in that.
Every single fckin entry on this post was extremely relatable. Every. single. f*****g. one.
I felt every one of these a few years back. My panic attacks turned into a full-blown case of agoraphobia.
Went out to dinner last week with my boyfriend. Went great til I was home in bed thinking I could have choked to death at dinner.
You're unsympathetic. I'd rather be around people who care a lot, than someone like you who cares too little.
Load More Replies... Maybe not for you. As someone who suffers from extreme anxiety, I can relate to almost every one of these.
Load More Replies...